1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and, more specifically, to a method for singulation of integrated circuit devices which are formed in a matrix array.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Integrated circuit devices are typically molded in a matrix array on a thin substrate such as bismaleimide triazine (BT) resin. A semiconductor die is attached to one side of such a substrate and encapsulated by a plastic molding. Contacts such as solder balls and the like are then provided on the opposite side of the semiconductor die. The substrate has many of the characteristics of a printed circuit board, including an upper surface metal layer pattern for a series of bond pads and electrically conductive vias, which penetrate the substrate. The electrically conductive vias connect the metal layer pattern to the solder balls on the lower surface of the substrate. Wire bonding electrically connects the semiconductor die contacts with the bond pads on the substrate. In general, the substrate is fabricated in a row/column format. The subsequent steps of attaching the semiconductor die, wire bonding and encapsulating maintain the row/ column format.
Separation of the various integrated circuit devices into individual components is typically accomplished by a cutting or sawing process often referred to as wet sawing. The wet sawing process has many disadvantages. First, it is not a clean process. Wet sawing produces a slurry which is a combination of liquid and particles from the substrate and/or the encapsulation material. Since the wet sawing process is done after the assembly of the matrix is completed, the slurry may cause contamination. The contamination may lead to lower yields of fully functional semiconductor devices. Furthermore, wet sawing requires the use of a wafer saw. The wafer saw used in the wet sawing process is an expensive tool which has a relatively high operating cost and which takes up a considerable amount of workspace. The wet sawing or cutting process is also a relatively time consuming process.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/583,328, filed May 31, 2000, in the name of Dusan Slepcevic discloses one type of separation technique. The separation technique utilizes a pre-slotted substrate and V-grooves in the encapsulation. The pre-slotted substrate and V-grooves allow the devices to be subsequently broken off more easily. However, this technique may not be applicable for different types of devices.
Therefore a need existed to provide an improved and more efficient method for singulation of semiconductor devices. The improved method needs to provide a slurry free method for singulation of semiconductor devices. The improved method must further provide a method for singulation of semiconductor devices which uses equipment which is relatively inexpensive to build and operate, while taking up a relatively small amount of work space. The improved method must further provide a method for the singulation of semiconductor devices which has a relatively fast throughput and which does not require secondary operations,
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and more efficient method for the singulation of semiconductor devices.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a slurry free method for the singulation of semiconductor devices.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved method for the singulation of semiconductor devices which uses equipment which is relatively inexpensive to build and operate, while taking up a relatively small amount of work space.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved method for the singulation of semiconductor devices which has a relatively fast throughput and which does not require secondary operations.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for singulation of integrated circuit array devices is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing an integrated circuit (IC) array matrix strip, providing a separation device; applying pressure from a separation device to separate a column from the IC array matrix strip; and applying pressure from the separation device to the separated column to singulate a device from the column.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.